Homemade Vegan Deli Meat

Step 1

Set up a large steamer pot on your stove and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, lower to a simmer.

Step 2

In a high -speed blender, add all of the ingredients from the tofu to the turmeric and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, add the vital wheat gluten along with the chickpea flour and mix until uniform. Pour the blended mixture into the bowl and using a spatula or a wooden spoon, mix everything until a dough forms.

Step 4

Flour a clean work surface (we used chickpea flour) and knead the dough for 3-4 minutes, or until it becomes soft and smooth. The dough may appear sticky, but it is supposed to be this way! If it is too dry, the result will not be ideal.

Step 5

Lay a 12-inch piece of aluminum foil on the counter and then place a 10-inch piece of parchment paper on top. Place the dough at the bottom of the parchment paper and press it into a tall and thick log with your hands. First, wrap the parchment paper around the seitan, leaving the ends open. Next, place the wrapped log towards the bottom of the foil and then wrap the foil around the seitan log. Twist the ends up like a candy wrapper to seal the seitan in. Try not to make this too tight and allow for a bit of room at the ends as the seitan will expand.

Step 6

Place the seitan log into the steamer basket and and steam it for 1 hour.

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 350 ºF. Once the seitan has steamed, remove it from the steamer basket and transfer it onto a baking sheet. Place it into the oven and cook for 30 minutes.

Step 8

Remove the seitan log from oven and allow it to cool completely before slicing. It is beneficial to unwrap it at this point (carefully, it will be hot) so that it will cool faster.

Step 9

Once the seitan has cooled to temperature, you can place it into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When you are ready to eat the seitan deli meat,  use a sharp knife to thinly slice the log.